According to a new report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 15,000 Americans died as a result of a painkiller overdose in 2008. Not only are painkillers dangerous, addictive and potentially lethal for those who take them for legitimate purposes, recent statistics indicate some 12 million Americans are actually using prescription painkillers simply in order to obtain a high. Some other alarming facts related to painkillers include:

The amount of painkillers available on the market by physicians, hospitals and pharmacies has quadrupled from 1999 to 2010.

Painkiller abuse rates are as high as 8 percent for those over the age of 12 in certain US states.

Enough painkillers are prescribed annually to medicate each American adult for 4 hours each month.

The abuse of prescription drugs has become so prevalent that the Obama administration has initiated a campaign to better deal with this worsening problem. This is just another reason to consider safe, effective chiropractic care if you are experiencing pain and/or disability related to your back, neck, spine, extremities or other soft tissues.

A recent study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics indicates chiropractic management of neck pain in veterans resulted in successful outcomes for the majority. Researchers evaluated 54 cases where veterans with a chief complaint of neck pain presented themselves for care at a Veterans Health Administration medical center. Two-thirds of patients experienced statistically significant and clinically meaningful results after, on average, less than 9 chiropractic treatments. If you are suffering from neck pain, call your local doctor of chiropractic today for a no obligation consultation.

Most who suffer from chronic back pain are ideal candidates for safe, natural chiropractic care. Chiropractors are highly trained and experienced with ailments of the spine, extremities and soft tissues. And while not a replacement for chiropractic care, there are activities that have shown some limited benefits for those suffering from chronic back pain. According to a recent UK-based study, yoga is one such activity. Study results indicated in those adults suffering from chronic lower back pain, 12 weeks of yoga led to a small but clinically significant improvement in their ability to perform activities related to daily living. Again, while not a replacement for seeking and obtaining chiropractic care, if you're a chronic back pain sufferer interested in further improving your overall function speak with your doctor of chiropractic about whether yoga may be beneficial for you.

Those of you with a family history of bowel cancer will be interested to learn that a newly published British study has found taking two aspirins a day over two years reduces the long-term risk of bowel cancer. More specifically, it reduces the risk in those who already have a family history of bowel cancer. On the flip side, there has been much debate on whether the benefits are worth the risk as aspirin consumption increases risk of internal bleeding and stomach ulcers. It's important that prior to initiating an aspirin regime, individuals check with their physician to ensure they're not at an increased risk of bleeding and ulcers. However, more and more research is showing aspirin's beneficial effects on its ability to reduce the risk of various types of cancer in addition to colon cancer.